Version Galore

by U-Roy

Overview

"Versions galore, you can hear them by the score, I could give you some more for sure," U-Roy shouts out on the title track of Version Galore, and indeed he could and did, recording scores and scores of versions of classic Jamaican hits. This album gathers up a dozen of some of his earliest, all cut for Duke Reid at Treasure Isle studio between 1969 and 1970. Included is one of his chartbusters, a version of the Paragons' "Wear You to the Ball." Paragon vocalist John Holt was responsible for bringing the DJ to Treasure Isle, and U-Roy repaid the singer by versioning a clutch of classic Paragons' songs, five of which appear here. The DJ was obviously a fan, and chatted along to the songs as one would to an old friend, most noticeably on "The Tide Is High" (Blondie would later have a hit with a cover of the original) and "Happy Go Lucky Girl." There again, on "Flashing My Whip," a version of the group's "Only a Smile," U-Roy demands that the trio put a smile on their face, a bit difficult considering the song's intrinsic heartbreak. The DJ's ease with these golden oldies allowed him to adeptly sing along, call out for the vocalists to sing on cue, wander off in other lyrical directions, and still find the perfect spot for his catch phrases. But this talent didn't end with the Paragons and rocksteady, "True Confessions," for example, was a ska-fired, doo wop-inspired hit for the Silvertones, and U-Roy motors away on this with equal ease. Interestingly enough, though, it's evident that without the vocals as a lyrical launch pad, the DJ is rather at a loss. Thus the two instrumentals here are actually the weakest tracks. But it was early days, and U-Roy's verbal gymnastics would fill in the gaps soon enough. ~ Jo-Ann Greene

Product Details

Release Date:	09/08/2023
Label:	Music On Vinyl
UPC:	8719262029781
Rank:	47223

Album Credits

Performance Credits

U-Roy   Primary Artist
The Supersonics   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
The Supersioncs   Primary Artist
Ken Parker   Primary Artist
The Jamaicans   Primary Artist
Alton Ellis   Primary Artist
Phyllis Dillon   Primary Artist
The Melodians   Primary Artist
Tommy McCook   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Hopeton Lewis   Primary Artist
Nora Dean   Primary Artist
The Mellodians   Primary Artist
The Paragons   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
The Silvertones   Primary Artist
The Techniques   Primary Artist
The Three Tops   Primary Artist
The Flames   Primary Artist
Stranger Cole   Primary Artist
Winston Wright   Primary Artist
The Ethiopians   Primary Artist
Earl Lindo   Primary Artist
Alton Ellis & The Flames   Primary Artist
The Tennors   Primary Artist
John Holt   Primary Artist
Tommy McCook & The All Stars   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Allan Jones   Composer
Tony Brevett   Composer
Ken Parker   Composer
Duke Reid   Composer,Producer,Liner Notes
U-Roy   DJ,Composer
Alton Ellis   Composer
Frederick Hollander   Composer
John Holt   Composer
Charlie Parker   Composer
Tyrone Evans   Composer
Homer Banks   Composer
Sam Coslow   Composer
Phyllis Dillon   Composer
Michael Atherton   Liner Notes
Norris Weir   Composer
Tommy McCook   Composer
Byron Smith   Engineer
Wilton Felder   Composer
Theophilus Beckford   Composer
Winston Wright   Composer
Wilson Pickett   Composer
Steve Cropper   Composer
Leonard Dillon   Composer
Ewart Beckford   Composer
P. Ungur   Project Coordinator
M. McDonald   Photography
Howard Barrett   Composer
Holt Evans   Composer
T. Cowan   Composer
Arthur "Duke" Reid   Producer
Allen Jones   Composer